The objectives of this study were to evaluate the parameters from isotherms of Freundlich and Langmüir that best reflect the adsorption of heavy metals in weathered soils, and to identify the relationship between the selected parameters and the chemical, physical and mineralogical attributes of twelve representative soil classes from Brazil.The soils were collected by EMBRAPA-CNPS during various surveys in the Southern, Southeastern and Northern areas of Brazil.The correlation coefficient among dependent variables, obtained through the isotherms of adsorption (parameters of adsorption), independent variables (chemical and physical attributes), and the direct and indirect effects for the elements Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, were evaluated through path analysis.The soil attributes clay content, organic carbon, effective cation exchange capacity, iron extracted by citrate dithionite-bicarbonate and aluminum extracted by sulfuric acid presented the highest simple correlation coefficients with the parameters of adsorption, and were used in the path analysis models to explain the adsorption of heavy metals. Path analysis was an important tool in the study of heavy metal behavior in soil.The constants K F of isotherms of Freudlich and maximum buffer capacity (K Lb), of Langmuir, presented the highest determination coefficients and the lowest residual variable effect values for all the metals studied.The variables that contributed most to the adsorption of heavy metals were organic carbon, effective cation exchange capacity, pH, clay content and aluminum extracted by sulfuric acid.
Cd; Cu; Pb; Zn; adsorption isotherms; Freundlich; Langmüir